The Raven Rings Prize goes to Helge Lee
Fantasy queen Siri Pettersen founded the Raven Rings Prize earlier this year, to promote new fantasy writers. The first winner of the prize, which this year runs off with 50,000 DKK, is author and illustrator Helge Lee, who writes under the pseudonym H. L. Phoenix. Lee is the creator of “Arkin – Guardian of the Light”, a portal fantasy for young readers.
Siri Pettersen describes the story as “great, ambitious, and wonderfully successful” and continues:
– It is with enormous enthusiasm that I give the first Raven Rings Prize to Helge Lee, This is stunningly beautiful and atmospheric world-class illustration. Captivating, colorful and emotional, in line with the most popular animated films. The concept is razor sharp, with a strong visual identity and iconic design.
The prize is personal and is awarded by Pettersen herself, in consultation with industry colleagues. The purpose is to provide support for what is often a crucial point, early in the career, through a financial contribution, mentoring, and promotion.
– Fantasy has never been more important. The genre breaks barriers, expands our horizons, and creates unparalleled reader engagement. It gives us power and inspiration to solve inhumanly great challenges, and we need that more than ever, says Pettersen.